Alexandre Aja Biting Into COBRA THE SPACE PIRATE Next?

I really don't know what to expect with the upcoming release of Alexandre Aja's PIRANHA 3D this weekend. On one hand, I am a big Aja fan (THE HILLS HAVE EYES, MIRRORS) but on the other hand the super advance word on this movie is 'cheese', but that may have changed in the editing room after getting feedback - or it could have just been a vicious attack for no reason. I do know that no movie critics have been allowed to preview the movie. I am an eternal optimist though, so I will be the first in line.

This brings me to Aja's next project: He has been talking (via Collider) about writing and directing an adaptation of the Japanese manga COBRA THE SPACE PIRATE, which he grew up watching on TV in Europe.

Here is a breakdown of the manga:
The series follows the adventures of Cobra who lived an ordinary life until enemies started to hunt him down. Cobra surgically alters his face, and erases his own memory to hide from his enemies. Cobra starts to regain his memories and then unites with his old partner Lady Armaroid and his ship Tortuga. Later in his adventures, Cobra meets the Royal sisters whose map-tattoos lead to treasure. The Cobra manga has also spawned nine sequel series… [and] later served as the basis for a feature-length film adaptation, a 31-episode anime series that retells the film’s story, and two original video animations.

So what does Aja have to say about the project (via Deadline)?
“I grew up dreaming about Cobra. My day was, finish school, run home and switch on the TV and I was hardly the only one. Kids did it in France, Italy, Spain, all over Western Europe. For many people there is Star Wars and nothing else, but for me and my writing partner Gregory, there is Star Wars and Cobra. I am so surprised it never crossed the ocean and made the same impact in the U.S., because it is so big everywhere else. There are 60 books, a lot of TV animation and so many adventures, pirates and bad guys that it is perfect to be reinvented into a really cool space opera adventure franchise for a new generation.”

“It should be in 3D, science fiction and 3D are a good mix. I’ll start work on the script soon, but I have been carrying this inside me for thirty years and we are talking to the creature designers of films like Avatar and Star Trek, building a new world and doing it the right way.”

Looks like Aja and I are going to get along just fine. We'll see how well his PIRANHA 3D conversion works out for him, and he has plenty of time to decide to shoot in native 3D or not for his next project.

I just want to see a Hollywood adaptation of a good Manga. We are still waiting on Cameron's BATTLE ANGEL and Spielberg's GHOST IN THE SHELL to name a couple of other top line projects.

Glad to see Aja has landed on the 3D side of Hollywood's creativity line! Bring it on Alex...